MILK production is set to increase from the current 2.1 billion to 4 billion litres per year by 2020, thanks to the government’s five-year strategic plan meant to resuscitate the ailing sector.
Under the blueprint, a number of dairy
cows in the country would increase from the current 780,000 to about 1.5
million, according to Chief Registrar in the Tanzania Dairy Board
(TDB), Mr Nelson Kilongozi.
“The strategic plan also aims to
increase milk consumption in the country from the current 47 to 70
litres per person per year,” said the TDB’s Chief Registrar during a
training workshop to Zoo sanitary officers organised by TDB over the
weekend.
Mr Kilongozi pointed out that average
milk consumption per person should be 200 litres per year. He said that
as part of the five-year strategic plan, TDB was currently encouraging
dairy farming in the country; saying despite being the third nation with
largest head of cattle in Africa, Tanzania has only thirty per cent of
dairy cows.
“We will offer training to pastoralists
on dairy farming to enable them start such farming for mega profit, as
well as to increase the number of dairy cows in the country,” he added.
Mr Kilongozi said the increase of milk
production would enable the country to begin exporting the product,
pointing out that currently, the country has only two dairy factories
with Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) processing plants.
“The two dairy factories namely - Azam
Dairy Products and Kigamboni based Milcom Dairy Limited - can produce
Long Life Milk due to UHT processing plants, hence are capable to export
their products,” he said.
According to the TDB Chief Registrar,
UHT milk packaged in a sterile container, if not opened, has a typical
unrefrigerated shelf life of six to nine months.
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